Listen Like Thieves (1985)

I can confidently say that this album is INXS’ most consistent work up until this point. ‘Listen Like Thieves’ shows INXS coming into the recording studio with the upmost swagger and confidence. It brings a little more rock energy to the band, still while balancing those 80’s dance trends. There's not a single track that feels out of place or like a filler song. That being said, there are just a couple of tracks that stylistically are great and fit the album perfectly, but I cannot go as far as saying they are genuine non-skips. The band's chemistry is palpable throughout though, and it is clear that they were firing on all cylinders when they made this record.

Right off the bat, the opening track "What You Need" fills the room with catchy guitar riffs and Michael Hutchence's signature smooth vocals. But it's not just the singles that make this album great - every track is a standout in its own right. “Listen Like Thieves” has a killer bassline that will get you grooving, while "Kiss the Dirt (Falling Down the Mountain)" showcases the band's ability to incorporate funk and pop elements into their rock sound. “Same Direction” has one of the bands most addicting guitar riffs that I have heard from them.

The so-called “weaker” moments on the album are still great songs that are worth saving for some. “Biting Bullets” and “This Time” are fantastic, but don’t demand that they be replayed in my opinion.

That being said, INXS's ‘Listen Like Thieves’ is still a must-listen for any rock fan, regardless of whether you're familiar with the band or not. It's a testament to their talent as musicians and songwriters, and it still holds up after all of these decades. This record is the strongest of the last four, and it only goes up from here. Trust me, give this album a spin and you won't be disappointed.

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Highlight Songs:

• What You Need

• Three Sisters

• Same Direction

• One X One

• Listen Like Thieves

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Own it, Stream it, Forget about it?

Without a doubt worth owning. For some, this may be a NSA and therefore everyone should listen to it to see if it makes it on to your personal No Skip Album list. It just narrowly misses my NSA list, but it is absolutely an album that will get many plays from me.

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Overall Rating:

4.5 Stars